Is WA good for veterans? 2 new studies rank state, major cities for retirement
Memorial Day is just around the corner.
As communities across the nation honor U.S. military service members who died while serving their countries, veterans are looking for ideal places to live.
“Transitioning from military to civilian life isn’t easy, but the best states for military retirees make that adjustment as smooth as possible,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in a May 18 article. “In addition to providing the conditions necessary for our veterans to thrive financially, they also have ample resources for taking care of military retirees’ physical and mental health.”
Two recent studies rank Washington state and its cities with major military presences veterans to settle down after serving.
Here’s what those studies say:
Why is Washington one of the worst states for military retirees?
Personal finance website WalletHub analyzed all 50 states and the District of Columbia to determine the best places for military retirees to settle down.
To determine the places that “provide a comfortable military retirement,” WalletHub focused on three key categories: economic environment, quality of life and healthcare.
The study took 28 key metrics into consideration, including state taxes on military pensions, job opportunities for veterans, housing affordability and the share of homeless veterans.
South Carolina was the best state for military veterans to spend their retirement, scoring 64.46 out of 100, WalletHub said.
In contrast, Washington state was one of the worst states for military retirees, landing at No. 48 out of 51.
The Evergreen State had an overall score of 37.61 out of 100.
Several factors led to Washington state’s low placement on the list, including its large percentage of homeless veterans.
What are the worst locations for retiring veterans?
According to WalletHub, these were the five worst states and districts for military service members looking to settle down:
- Oregon
- Vermont
- District of Columbia
- Washington
- New Jersey
What are the best states for military retirees?
In addition to low tax rates and plentiful employment opportunities, the best states for service members offer “ample resources for taking care of military retirees’ physical and mental health,” Lupo said.
South Carolina “allows businesses to give preferential hiring to veterans, offers academic credit for military service and has veteran treatment courts,” providing healthcare and mentoring to veterans in the criminal justice system,” WalletHub managing editor John S. Kiernan wrote in the May 18 article.
The Palmetto State also has the most veteran-owned businesses per capita, indicating that “military retirees have good social and business opportunities,” Kiernan wrote.
According to WalletHub, these were the top five states for military retirees in 2026:
- South Carolina
- North Dakota
- Wyoming
- New Hampshire
- Maryland
Do military cities in Washington support veterans?
A new study by consumer finance website CardRates.com explores how well cities with “significant military and veteran populations” support veterans in everyday life.
The best cities for veterans put a focus on “long-term affordability and quality of life,” CardRates.com Lynn Cadet wrote in an April 30 article, providing stable environments for military retirees year-round.
CardRates.com analyzed a total of 57 cities across the United States, based on key categories including financial wellbeing, festive atmosphere and environment and weather.
The credit card platform also examined each city’s veteran population and economic stability; credit and financial health and safety and quality of life.
Three Washington cities were included on CardRate.com’s list: Everett, Tacoma and Bremerton.
However, all three were among the lowest ranked cities, along with San Diego.
Bremerton placed last overall, ranking at No. 57 due to its “weaker financial conditions and limited economic flexibility for veterans,” Cadet said.
Tacoma took the second-to-last spot, No. 56.
“While the city performs relatively well in credit health, it struggles in financial well-being,” Cadet said, noting that Tacoma has one of the highest property crime rates in the nation.
“Bremerton, Tacoma and San Diego are all situated near major military installations and have long-standing ties to the armed forces,” Cadet said. “Yet despite that proximity, high living costs, housing affordability challenges and broader financial strain can make them difficult places for veterans to live comfortably long-term.”
The other Washington city on the list, Everett, landed at No. 54.
What are the top 10 cities for veterans?
According to CardRates.com, these were the top 10 cities for veterans seeking supportive environments:
- Bellevue, Nebraska
- Leavenworth, Kansas
- Belleville, Illinois
- Lawton, Oklahoma
- Oklahoma City
- Bossier City, Louisiana
- Yuma, Arizona
- Columbia, Missouri
- New Bern, North Carolina
- Biloxi, Mississippi
This story was originally published May 21, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Is WA good for veterans? 2 new studies rank state, major cities for retirement."